Media Mania

by Georgia Tiatia Fa'atoese LatuJuly 3, 2019

Far out what a week! Mum received an email from a lady asking whether I might be interviewed on Radio New Zealand by Jesse Milligan and we were kind of excited about the idea. When the day came, I had to take some time off school because they said I needed to be interviewed at 1:30pm. So, I stayed home with mum and we talked through some of the questions they might ask me. The more we talked through what he might ask me though, the more I thought, “this is going to be tough”. I don't mind getting on stage and talking to lots of people. Performing is in my blood and I love to sing and especially love to do kapa haka and poi. But speaking to somebody I don't know, who is famous on the telephone, that's a different story.

So anyhow, before we had the interview, mum and I went through the questions one more time and she said she was right there to help me if I needed her. But the minute I got the phone call, sitting in the lounge on the couch, I thought I can do this. Next minute Jesse was on the end of the line asking me questions, and I was like, “yeah, I'll get straight into this and talk about my business. He made me feel like I could talk about anything, so I did. He also said if he could help me in anyway he would. I was just stoked he offered. But pretty much straight after the interview, his producer from The Project contacted us and asked whether or not I would be able to come to Auckland and be on a live show of The Project. I was thinking, no way are my friends going to believe me when I tell them I'm going to be on TV.

The day they wanted me to come up, just happened to be on the first week mum returned to work. She had been on 6 months maternity leave with Api. So she organised for my Aunty to pick me up from the airport in Auckland. I flew up on the plane by myself, which was pretty cool. I was nervous but excited. I met the whole team and hung out with Kanoa Lloyd. She was so awesome, I loved meeting her and even taught her how to use my poi. It even turned out that she knew my Tumuaki (Principal) and we had heaps in common.

Then I met Stan Walker, who was also being interviewed that night. Man, he was so cool. He talked to me like we had known each other forever. I gave Stan some of my poi and he posted about me on his Instagram page.

Then suddenly I was LIVE on tv, being interviewed and even managed to do a poi performance. Oh, I forgot to mention that before I went to The Project, TV one called mum because they had heard that I was going to be on Three. They wanted to do an interview with mum and I at home. They came with their bright lights and equipment and interviewed us while we made poi, it was actually really fun. So the next night I was on TV1 at 6pm and then TV3 at 7:30pm.

Mum said she watched me on TV and was so proud. As soon as I finished at the studio my Aunty and I video chatted with my whole whānau, my uncles all got on. And my Gamie (grandmother). We all just laughed and talked about how cool it was. I told them how I got my hair done and all the cool things I had seen and super nice people that I met. It was such an amazing experience. Who would have thought I would get to be on TV twice in one night.